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Fall 2023
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Soil health is a term that describes how well a soil ecosystem supports plants, animals, and humans. It also recognizes the living nature of soils and the importance of soil microorganisms. Healthy soils can provide wildlife habitat, support biodiversity, reduce the effects of climate change, filter air and water, increase crop productivity and food security, and ensure thriving rural economies.
A crucial part of the soil health journey is measuring changes in your soil and understanding how to interpret those measurements. We can measure soil health with a range of indicators describing a soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties, which can relate to important soil functions. Each indicator measures a different property of the soil and can be affected differently by management.
To learn more about management practices that support healthy soil, check out these resources from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) principles of building soil health.
ACE Soil Protein is the fraction of SOM comprised of proteins from soil microorganisms. Proteins contain nitrogen that can be mineralized for plant uptake, and are therefore an important contributor to crop growth. ACE stands for autoclaved citrate-extractable, which is the laboratory method for extracting the proteins. ACE soil protein is related to aggregate stability as it partly measures proteins that are physically sticky and hold soil particles together. ACE is also sensitive to management changes, so can be a valuable indicator for evaluating relatively short-term changes in soil health.
Electrical Conductivity (EC) measures the concentration of salts in the soil. Excessive salts can stress plants and lower crop yield and quality, as well as impact soil structure, infiltration rates, and water holding capacity. In particular, sodium (Na) can cause crusting and dispersion of soil particles, leading to surface runoff and erosion. Crops in sodium-affected soils (sodic soils) may also have challenges taking up other essential salts such as Ca, Mg, and K.
Aggregate Stability measures the resistance of groups of soil particles, or aggregates, to disintegration. Aggregates are formed when soil particles associate with organic matter, plant roots, fungal hyphae, and “glues” made by soil microorganisms. Water and wind can break down unstable aggregates, while stable aggregates can reduce erosion and increase water infiltration, drainage, and storage capacity. Aggregate stability is an excellent example of how biological life impacts soil physical properties. Soils high in clay tend to have higher aggregate stability than sandy soils, but increasing soil organic matter improves aggregate stability across all soil textures.
The below table describes: 1. What each indicator helps measure in your soil; 2. Whether you want the measured value to be higher (more is better), lower (less is better), or in the middle (optimal range); and 3. How often to measure each indicator. Our understanding of these indicators is rapidly evolving as researchers measure them in diverse soils, cropping systems, and climates.
Soil Health Indicator | Soil Function | Scoring Curve Type |
|---|---|---|
Measure every: 1-3 years | ||
ACE Soil Protein | Nutrient cycling, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Aggregate Stability | Physical support, water relations, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Electrical Conductivity (EC) | Physical support, nutrient cycling, filtering & resilience | Less is better |
Mineralizable Carbon | Nutrient cycling, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC) | Biodiversity & habitat, nutrient cycling, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen (PMN) | Nutrient cycling, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Soil pH | Nutrient cycling, filtering & resilience | Optimal range |
Total Nitrogen | Nutrient cycling, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | Optimal range |
Plant Essential Nutrients | Nutrient cycling | Optimal range |
Measure every: 3-5 years | ||
Bulk Density | Physical support, water relations, biodiversity & habitat, filtering & resilience | Optimal range |
Cation Exchange Capacity | Nutrient cycling, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Infiltration | Water relations, physical support | More is better |
Soil Organic Matter (SOM) | Nutrient cycling, filtering & resilience | More is better |
Water Holding Capacity (WHC) | Water relations, physical support | More is better |
Sample ID | Field ID | Field Name | Crop | Longitude | Latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23-AWK04-02 | 2 | Field 02 | Cereal Grain | -123 | 47 |
Below are tables and graphs describing the physical, biological, and chemical measurements from your soils. Each point represents a sample we collected. Take a look to see how your fields compare to others in the project. All samples were collected from [EDIT: SOIL DEPTH (e.g. 0-6 inches, or 0-30 cm)].
Field or Average | Texture | Sand | Silt | Clay | Bulk Density | Agg. Stability | WHC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | g/cm³ | % | in/ft | ||||
Field 02 | Loam | 50 | 40 | 10 | 0.81 | 90 | 1.6 |
Cereal Grain Average | Silt Loam | 42 | 43 | 15 | 1.20 | 84 | 2.0 |
County 7 Average | Silt Loam | 36 | 48 | 16 | 0.95 | 94 | 1.9 |
Project Average | Silt Loam | 43 | 43 | 14 | 1.10 | 90 | 1.7 |
Values ≥ project average have darker backgrounds. | |||||||
Field or Average | Organic Matter | Min C | POXC | PMN | ACE Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | mg/kg/day | ppm | lb/ac | g/kg | |
Field 02 | 13.0 | 62 | 720 | 100 | 12.0 |
Cereal Grain Average | 4.7 | 40 | 400 | 75 | 7.3 |
County 7 Average | 10.0 | 70 | 730 | 180 | 7.9 |
Project Average | 5.8 | 50 | 530 | 99 | 8.5 |
Values ≥ project average have darker backgrounds. | |||||
Field or Average | pH | EC | CEC | Total C | TOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mmhos/cm | cmolc/kg | % | |||
Field 02 | 5.4 | 0.29 | 28 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
Cereal Grain Average | 5.7 | 0.41 | 14 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
County 7 Average | 5.6 | 0.25 | 23 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Project Average | 6.1 | 0.74 | 15 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
Values ≥ project average have darker backgrounds. | |||||
Field or Average | Total N | NO₃-N | NH₄-N | P | K | Ca | Mg | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | ppm | |||||||
Field 02 | 0.44 | 29 | 7.3 | 27 | 340 | 740 | 97 | 120 |
Cereal Grain Average | 0.18 | 12 | 10.0 | 28 | 350 | 1,900 | 250 | 23 |
County 7 Average | 0.36 | 15 | 12.0 | 26 | 390 | 2,500 | 410 | 54 |
Project Average | 0.21 | 17 | 9.0 | 41 | 330 | 2,100 | 350 | 24 |
Values ≥ project average have darker backgrounds. | ||||||||
Field or Average | B | Fe | Mn | Cu | Zn | Na |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ppm | ||||||
Field 02 | 0.21 | 65 | 13.0 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 23 |
Cereal Grain Average | 0.25 | 65 | 12.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 24 |
County 7 Average | 0.34 | 110 | 11.0 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 32 |
Project Average | 0.39 | 94 | 8.5 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 48 |
Values ≥ project average have darker backgrounds. | ||||||
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This report was generated using the {soils} R package. {soils} was developed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Washington State University, as part of the Washington Soil Health Initiative. Text and figures were adapted from WSU Extension publication #FS378E Soil Health in Washington Vineyards. Learn more about {soils} in this blog post or this webinar.